


Perfect Hallownest

by InvaderMAK



Series: Happy Hallownest AU [3]
Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Gen, Zote is dead
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-11
Updated: 2020-09-01
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:01:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24658804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InvaderMAK/pseuds/InvaderMAK
Summary: Ghost is given a second chance to save the kingdom, but this time, it is going to give everyone a happy ending. It devises a plan to ensure that everything goes right this time. Tiso won't meet his untimely end. Bretta won't be disappointed by Zote, and Zote won't be humiliated. Myla might be getting the short end of the stick, but in due time, she will sing again. Even The Collector and the grubs will get a happy ending.Most of all, Ghost will not lose Quirrel. Not this time.
Series: Happy Hallownest AU [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1782844
Comments: 4
Kudos: 35





	1. Little Knight

Quirrel and Angel stand among the dreary town of Dirtmouth. They have picked out a home to stay in, once they get the time to stop and relax. Despite this, the pill bug seems troubled, much to the child's concern.

"Friend sad?"

"Hm?" Quirrel glances at his companion. "Oh, no...I'm just...a little worried for a friend of mine." Quirrel looks off in the distance. "I wonder how the little one is fairing…"

"See friend?"

"...Yes. Yes, that sounds like a good idea. Do you think you can locate them for me?"

Angel begins to concentrate. They seem to struggle with their usually simple task. Perhaps the subject is moving too quickly? A moment later, Angel takes Quirrel's hand and pulls him towards the stag station.

"Alright, I'm coming," Quirrel says. He had grown used to the child practically dragging him from place to place.

Angel brings their friend to the station bell, and points at it. Quirrel grips his nail and hits the bell, giving it a ring. Soon, the old stag comes running.

"Hello again," the stag says in greeting. "Where would you like to go?"

"City…" Angel says.

"The city storerooms?"

The child shakes their head.

"...King's Station?"

Angel nods.

"Very well." The stag glances at Quirrel. "Will you be joining them?"

"Yes," he replies.

"Climb aboard."

Angel hops onto the stag's back with ease, much to Quirrel's surprise. Once the two are strapped in their seats, the stag takes off. A minute or two later, they arrive in the City of Tears. Quirrel waves goodbye as they head for the station entrance.

Quirrel feels a tiny hand grip his, forcing him to stop. "Oh, what is it?"

"Stay," the child says.

"How come?"

Angel points at the bench sitting next to the station bell.

Quirrel quickly catches on. "Oh, our friend is bound to return to the bench for a quick rest. Smart thinking, little one."

The child points at Quirrel, then to the bench again. When was the last time Quirrel had taken a rest himself? The pill bug takes a seat at the bench, before patting the empty spot by his side, this being an invitation for Angel to join him. Angel shakes their head, leaving Quirrel to shrug.

This seems familiar to him. Where did this sense of deja vu come from? Oh, yes, he had rested at a bench elsewhere in the city, before the death of his madame. He watched the rain beat softly against the glass window, its gentle sounds resembling calming music.

That had been one of the times he had spent alongside his silent friend, who had seemed eager to listen to what he had to say. Even after he had finished speaking, the little wanderer stayed by his side, seated upon the bench. That was one of the most relaxing moments he had ever experienced in a long time.

Quirrel smiles at the memory. The rain continues to fall even now, as though the lake above the city holds an endless supply of crystal clear water. He rests his eyes, listening to the soothing pitter patter of rain against the ground. How he would have missed this, had the little angel never come to his aid. Once again, he is thankful.

The relaxation wasn't meant to last, however. Quirrel feels the child shake him out of his meditation. "Huh? Wha-?"

Angel points at the station entrance. Standing there is the little knight.

Quirrel sits up. "...Hello, my friend," he says with a soft smile. "Are you surprised to see me?"

The knight remains frozen in place, staring in their direction. After its long pause, it fumbles for its map, unfolding it rather quickly. It skims over the map, before glancing up at Quirrel.

"Would you care to join me?" Quirrel asks.

The knight slowly folds its map back up, and puts it away. It looks to be almost in shock. For a second, Quirrel believes to have seen tears begin to form in its eyes. Then to his surprise, the knight bolts in the other direction.

"Hey, wait! Don't go!" Quirrel stands up and follows the silent wanderer. "Come back!"

Angel chases after their friend. "Sibling," they call, "sibling, stay!"

The knight comes to a stop, glancing back. Then it wields a shining weapon, holding it upwards towards the ceiling. Its cloak billows around it as the nail begins to glow brightly. A few seconds later, the knight disappears.

Quirrel skids to a halt. "What? Where did it go?"

Angel suddenly collapses to the ground, holding their head with one hand.

Quirrel spins around. "Little Angel, are you alright?!"

Angel takes a moment to return to their feet, still holding onto their head. "L-lost...sibling…"

Soon, Angel relocates the knight. They grab Quirrel's hand and take him past the various great husk sentries lining their path. The child drags the pill bug across the entire city, soon coming towards a vaguely familiar building atop a hill. It resembles an equally familiar face, one Quirrel can't quite put his finger on. He is given no time to study the building further, for they duck underneath the ground below the hill, entering a hidden passageway.

"Slow down, Angel!" Quirrel exclaims. Then he spots the knight once again, climbing towards them.

Upon noticing them, Ghost loses focus and collides with a fungling, falling into the murky waters below. Quirrel gasps, praying for his friend to be alright. The knight picks itself back up, as though unharmed, and proceeds to run in the opposite direction.

"Little one, wait!" Quirrel jumps towards the wall and slides down, careful not to get too close to the balloon like creatures. Angel follows behind. "I just want to talk!" Quirrel calls after the knight. Why was it suddenly avoiding him? "Stop!"

Ghost soon comes to a drop leading to a large pit filled with garbage. Just before it could leap towards a nearby platform, a pebble shifts beneath its footing. The knight slips and begins to fall towards the filthy water below. In a panic, it flaps its monarch wings, only to miss the platform by mere millimeters. Ghost gives in, embracing for impact against the water.

Suddenly, they feel something grab onto their ankle. Ghost looks up to find Quirrel hanging over the edge of the drop, holding onto their leg as though the world depended on it. Quirrel's vessel companion holds onto his legs, determined to keep their friend from plummeting towards his horrible demise. The knight stares into the pill bug's eyes, astonished and breathless.

Angel slowly pulls the two back onto solid ground. Quirrel breathes heavily. "Are...are you alright?"

The knight stays silent, continuing to stare at Quirrel.

"It's alright, my friend...you're safe."

Ghost falls to its knees. It slowly reaches a hand towards Quirrel.

...No.

It mustn't make the same mistake.

The little knight stands up, before dusting itself off. Then it gestures for the duo to follow.

Quirrel and Angel glance at one another. It isn't a bad idea for them to get away from the foul stench of the Royal Waterways.

~~~

Ghost leads the two back out of the hidden passageway, returning to the City of Tears. Quirrel finds the little knight as intriguing as always; it remains a mystery how it can remain so stoic. "My friend, it is good to see you again."

The knight comes to an abrupt stop. It turns its head sharply to look up at Quirrel. The knight stares intently at the pill bug.

"Is...something wrong?"

Its hands form fists as it shakes with what seems to be anger, but the knight is incapable of showing emotion.

"My friend, I...I don't understand why you shake like that…did I say something I shouldn't have?"

The knight stomps past him, only to stop a few feet away. It unleashes a couple of abyss shrieks, before swinging at the air with its nail wildly. It returns to his side a moment later, planting itself on the ground as though pouting.

Quirrel blinks, surprised by the knight's explosive tantrum. "...I understand you're upset, though I remain unclear of the reason why."

Ghost flashes another look at Quirrel, expressionless as always.

"I'm not trying to be rude, little one."

Ghost stands up again and looks at Angel. It points at the ground, triggering a game of charades.

"Down?" the child guesses.

The knight points at the ground again.

"Fall?"

Ghost points at Quirrel intensely, then at the ground.

"...Stay?"

The knight nods vigorously. It turns to face the pill bug, before repeating the gesture.

"You want me to stay here?"

Ghost's stare is all that is necessary to get the message, this being a silent "No." They want him to stay, but not in one spot.

Quirrel finally catches on. "H-how...did you know about that..?"

The knight begins to shake again. Quirrel leaps back as it releases another shriek of void and soul.

"Okay, okay!" he exclaims when Ghost flails their nail blindly. "I'm sorry, I-I wasn't in my right mind when I did that! I already swore to never attempt such a terrible thing again!"

Ghost throws themselves to the damp ground. They clench their hands into fists. With their head lowered, they continue to tremble. A small puddle of void forms near their fists.

"Please don't cry...I'm sorry."

It slowly gets back up again, wiping its face.

"...Little knight--"

Ghost abruptly squeezes Quirrel in a tight hug. Quirrel is surprised, soon wrapping an arm around his friend's back. The knight clings to the pill bug and refuses to let go for the longest time. Quirrel soon finds himself enjoying the embrace.

"Little knight… I promise I won't do that again. I should have known that I still have someone left who cares about me. I was a fool to have thought otherwise…"

The knight continues to cry a river of void. Quirrel picks them up and holds them close. "I-I...I'm sorry…" Quirrel begins to cry tears of his own. "I'm so sorry…how could I do such a thing…?"

No matter what comes their way, the knight is never going to let anything bad happen to their friend. He deserves a happy ending...if only they could tell him that.

"My friend... I promise you, I'll never hurt you again… When this is all over, perhaps we can explore what lies beyond Hallownest…"

If the knight was capable of showing any emotion, it would have shown that his words stung. No matter what it does, it knows that it can never get that perfect ending.

_Replace…_

_ Perish… _

_ Embrace… _

_ Suffer… _

But Quirrel is here. Quirrel is alive. Speaking to them, promising them that he will stay. That alone seems to be enough to prove that their impossible wish is really possible. But how...how can they destroy the infection and live?

It doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is that everyone else is happy. They don't mind if they are left with no choice but to sacrifice themselves for the good of the kingdom, and their friends.

Then again, Quirrel would be devastated.

Ghost holds onto Quirrel's body tighter. They can't let him go. No matter what he says, they will never leave him alone again.

"...Would you like to return to the surface with us?"

The knight had almost missed the pill bug's invitation. They look up, teary eyed, and nod.

Quirrel smiles, gently placing them down. Hand in hand, the trio return to the stag station. To the little knight, this almost seems too good to be true.


	2. Ghost's Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Quirrel discovers a series of doodles drawn by The Knight. Some are innocent and childish, others are more concerning...what could they all mean? Quirrel searches Hallownest for an answer.

Ghost returned to Dirtmouth alongside Quirrel and Angel after a long walk from the city. Elderbug greeted them with a wave. Quirrel spotted the knight sit down at the bench next to a female beetle. He caught her twiddle her fingers, all the while blushing. Quirrel smiled and gave a silent laugh.

The empty house they have been staying in is still a bit of a mess, but Quirrel doesn't mind all that much. With enough time and effort, he and his friends can fix up the place to make it look as good as new. That time, however, isn't now. The little knight is currently curled up atop a pillow, fast asleep alongside its vessel sibling. Quirrel adjusts the blanket to cover both the knight and Angel.

"Sleep tight, little ones," he whispers, smiling.

Quirrel sits down in a chair close by. He glances at the knight's nail leaning against the chair. Just beside it lays the rolled up map Ghost had obtained throughout its adventure. Quirrel is curious to see how much of the kingdom his friend had uncovered, and how far it had come. Surely taking a quick peek wouldn't be snooping, right? One look couldn't hurt. Quirrel carefully unrolls the parchment to find not one, but an entire collection of maps, one for various areas in Hallownest.

Quirrel silently begins to take note. _Let's see...there's the Howling Cliffs, Dirtmouth, the Crossroads, Greenpath, Fog Canyon..._

Quirrel pauses upon spotting Monomon's archives marked on the map of Fog Canyon. He clutches the parchment as the image of his teacher flashes in his mind.

"I miss you, Madam..." he whispers with a sigh. He forces himself to continue on.

_ ...Fog Canyon, the Fungal Wastes, City of Tears...not Hallownest's Heart? Hm...there's the Royal Waterways, Crystal Peak, Resting Grounds, Kingdom's Edge, Deepnest, Queen's Gardens, Ancient Basin… _

A section located on the map of the basin catches his attention. "The palace…" Quirrel makes a mental note to visit the palace grounds when given the chance.

He notices the corner of a piece of blue cloth poking out from underneath the map of the basin. Quirrel pulls on the fabric, surprised to find it is not only similar in size to that of the maps, but also has little doodles drawn on it with a quill and inkwell. He had not previously known of his friend's talent.

"Oh, how nice," Quirrel says with a smile as he spots a couple of sketches Ghost had made of him. One of the drawings is of him smiling, circled by many little hearts. Beside it looks like a doodle of Angel.

The other drawing of him includes Monomon's mask, and many speech bubbles. Next to it is a drawing of his nail, which had been crossed out. Is this referring to his attempt at gaining peace through death? Quirrel kicks himself once again for coming up with such an idea.

The drawing that is the most eye catching is what looks like a picture of the sun...with wings? Many of the smaller drawings are connected to this image by an arrow, including the crossed out nail. One seems to feature the arrogant warrior he and Angel had met in the Coliseum not too long ago. Others show the crossed out corpse of a miner husk, alongside a happy couple, a sleeping cicada, a blushing beetle, a cheerful grub, and a greedy fly. All of them have an arrow that leads right back to the drawing of the sun. What does any of this mean?

Below the sun doodle is another, only it adopts a more eerie tone. It is surrounded by what appears to be empty husks, alongside a weeping image of the knight. What could have gone through the little one's mind for it to want to draw such things?

That does it. Someone must be capable of deciphering all of this! Quirrel gathers the maps into a neat stack, which he then rolls back up to leave where he had found them. He folds up the cloth, grabs his weapon, and heads for the door. After giving the sleeping vessels one last glance, Quirrel rushes for the well.

~~~

Violet stares at the little grub curled up inside one of The Collector's jars. She smiles at it, finding it rather adorable. The Collector stands right beside her, studying them both. The grub looks at The Collector and Violet with a frightened expression, as if wondering what the evil creatures plan to do with it. It blinks away a tear, thinking of home.

"Ah, you lose!" Violet says to the grub. "Now just me and Collector are left!"

The Collector laughs, clapping its hands excitedly. **"Collector and Violet blink now?"**

"Yeah, and we'll go on the count of three," she nods.

Violet and The Collector rest their eyes for a moment, preparing for another round of staring. The grub tilts its head with confusion. Isn't this game only meant for two players? These creatures must be crazier than it initially thought.

"Okay, ready?" Violet asks, her eyes still closed.

** "Ready!" **

"One...two...three!"

They both open their eyes again. The heat is on. Violet's smiles as she stares into her friend's eyes, watching for any sign of twitching. The Collector isn't about to let her win, however.

The two continue to stare for nearly an entire minute. Violet catches The Collector begin to squint its eyes, which results in her smile growing. Collector isn't going to back down. Its eyes grow wide again, much to Violet's surprise. Another moment passes, and the two are now fighting against tears.

"Hello?" a voice calls from a few floors below.

Violet loses focus. "Is someone there?" she replies, her gaze breaking away from The Collector's.

 **"AHA! Ahahaha!"** The Collector points at Violet upon seeing her blink. ** "Collector wins again!"**

"Aw," Violet mutters, remembering their game. "No fair! I want a rematch!"

**"Rematch later,"** Collector promises, to which Violet nods. It rubs its eyes before turning its attention towards the visitor. The anticipation fills it with excitement! It could be anyone!

Soon, a familiar pill bug appears before them. "Ah, here you are."

"Hi, Quirrel!" Violet says with a smile.

Quirrel dips his head in greeting. "There's something troubling me. Care to have a look?"

Violet and The Collector join Quirrel by his side as he unfolds a piece of cloth. "What do you make of this?" he asks.

The Collector studies the little drawings upon the fabric. It hums thoughtfully, before exclaiming as one jumps out at it. ** "Ah! Grub! Look, Violet, grub!"** Collector points at the picture of a happy grub drawn in ink.

"Aw, it's so cute!" Violet coos. She then spots a doodle that resembles the void construct. "Ooh, ooh! Look, Collector, it's you!"

 **"Violet is here too!"** it declares, pointing at a drawing of her own.

Violet and The Collector giggle with delight. Whoever had drawn them is quite talented!

"I was hoping you could help me make some sense of this," Quirrel says. "I found it among my friend's belongings. They're the silent little wanderer. Surely you've met them, no?"

Violet and The Collector look confused.

Quirrel glances at the cloth again. "Um...right here." He points at a doodle of the knight looking rather happy in one corner of the makeshift parchment.

"...Oh, yeah, them!" Violet says with recognition. "They came here not too long ago, but all they did was let a few grubs loose..."

**"My lovelies aren't safe out there!"** Collector cries.

"At least they weren't hostile," Violet points out. "They seemed to have no interest in hurting us."

Quirrel glances in the direction of the trapped grub. "Er, right…do you think you can decipher this for me? Some of it worries me, especially this part." He points at the drawing of the sun surrounded by corpses.

 **"Can do!"** Collector says cheerfully.

"Thank you, friend." Quirrel hands The Collector the cloth. "I'll return after I check on the little ones. I hope that won't be too little time for you...I didn't exactly ask to borrow this."

**"Collector will get it done in no time!"** Collector replies, before bounding towards the study.

Quirrel sighs gratefully. He waves goodbye to Violet as he heads for the nearest stag station.

Upon returning to the Tower of Love, Quirrel finds Violet on the lower levels. "Hello again," he says in greeting. "I meant to return sooner, but--"

"Quirrel!" Violet runs up to the pill bug. She looks worried.

"What's wrong, Violet?"

"It's Collector! He hasn't come out of the study ever since he went up there! I think something's wrong!"

"He hasn't come out at all? Did you check on him?"

"I tried, but before I went into the room, I heard him...laughing...he didn't sound like himself, and, well...it scared me."

Quirrel is hesitant. "...Don't worry, Violet," he places a hand on her shoulder with assurance, "I'll go check on him for you." He begins to head upstairs.

"Please be careful!"

Quirrel stops, glancing over his shoulder. "He wouldn't...hurt me, would he?"

"Not on purpose," she replies. "I mean, he doesn't get violent or anything, but he did hit you with a jar once…"

Quirrel recalls the sharp pain that the broken glass had inflicted upon him. "He was afraid… I'm sure your friend is fine, Violet, but I'll stay cautious."

Violet doesn't respond, and instead nods.

Without another word, Quirrel begins to ascend the tower. Along the way, his grip on his nail tightens.

By the time he reaches the top floor, Quirrel faintly hears The Collector's voice. Sure enough, it sounds as though it is chuckling. Quirrel shoves his uncertainty to the back of his mind, and approaches the study. Standing just outside the room, he can now hear The Collector mutter to itself...something about grubs? Taking a deep breath, Quirrel steps inside.

"Collector?"

The void construct abruptly turns its head to look at Quirrel. It is sitting among a mess of scattered parchment. **"Ah! You're back!"**

"What happened here?" Quirrel asks.

**"Come, come! Look!"**

Before he knew it, Quirrel was being pulled across the room. "W-what is it?"

**"I figured it out,"** it declares, **"Collector found the answer!"**

The Collector positions Quirrel among the mess. **"Look,"** it says as it points at the floor.

Quirrel looks down, and what he sees surprises him. Five sheets of parchment, each with its own picture drawn on it, litters the floor. A dark line had been drawn on the ground, connecting from one image to the next.

"What is all of this?"

**"The answer! Look, look!"** Collector holds up the knight's drawing. ** "The sun brings sickness! Grub has an arrow that points to the sun, and look!" **The Collector points at the sketch of a grub trapped inside one of its jars, which, like a few other doodles, had been crossed out.

"Okay, what is this supposed to mean?"

Collector points at its paper trail once again. **"Friend is the one bringing the sickness!"**

"Okay, I...wait, what!?"

**"Look!"** Collector directs, **"Free grub points to sun, sun brings sickness! My lovelies bring the sun! So Collector must contain grubs to protect the kingdom!"**

The Collector grips Quirrel's arms. **"Understand now, rollie boy?? Collector is your only hope!"**

Quirrel can hardly comprehend what he had just heard. "...Okay...first of all, it's Quirrel, and second, there is no way that they could be helping with the infection! Not only that, but this pokes so many holes in your translation. What about the rest of the drawings my friend made? By your logic, that would mean the rest of these things bring the infection as well."

Collector blinks. **"Don't they?"**

Quirrel slaps a palm against his face hopelessly. "Look, I get you're trying to help, but I assure you that my friend is no villain. They're trying to stop the infection, not accelerate it! Why else would they need to break the temple's seals that were laid by the Dreamers?"

The Collector's expression falls. **"Ha…hahahaha..! Oh, of course, of course! Collector was just mistaken!"** The Collector proceeds to laugh off its silly assumption. Its laughter soon trails off to a more half-hearted tone.

As The Collector falls silent, Quirrel isn't sure whether it is embarrassed with itself, or disappointed that its theory seems too far fetched. He glances away. "Um, yeah…you are aware that Violet has been worrying over you, correct?"

** "Hm? ...Wha-!? Oh no, Violet!" **

The Collector rushes out of the messy study. "Hey, wait, Collector!" Quirrel is left with no choice but to chase after it. The void construct manages to drop down one floor before Quirrel can catch up to it.

"Collector!" Quirrel skids to a halt, relief flooding through him when he finds The Collector hugging its friend.

**"Collector is sorry...it didn't mean to worry you,"** **it says softly.**

"It's okay," Violet responds. "Were you able to figure out what the drawings mean?"

** "I…no. No, I wasn't." **

"Aw, that's okay! I'm sure he can find someone who can. You might not be a genius, but you're still my friend."

Hearing this is enough to cheer up The Collector. It tosses Violet in the air and catches her again, making her giggle.

Quirrel cannot help but to smile at their affection. "Now that that has been taken care of, I'll be going."

Just before Quirrel can leave, Violet calls after him. "Quirrel!"

He looks over his shoulder. "Yes?"

"Thank you," she says with a smile.

Quirrel returns the smile, and nods. Then he turns and leaves the tower.

~~~

Quirrel wanders the city, confused as ever. Why can't he interpret the knight's drawings on his own? A child had practically drawn them! Quirrel wonders if he should have waited for the little knight to wake up before asking what it all means… Quirrel clenches the folded up cloth in his fist, protecting it from the rain. Maybe someone in the city can help him with his predicament. Someone like…

Aha! Quirrel spots a sign pointing the way towards the relic seeker's shop. Perhaps he could help him! Quirrel runs the rest of the way towards the shop, eager to get out of the rain.

The pill bug soon reaches the shop, glad to find it still open. A bug with a long beard glances up from its work upon hearing Quirrel come in.

"A traveler, eh? Come to my desk and I'll have a look at what relics you've come across."

"Actually, I don't have any relics…"

"Is that so? Well, then I have no business with you. Good day."

"Wait, I do have something."

"No relic, no interest," Lemm says stubbornly.

"Please, I'm only asking for you to decipher something!"

Lemm pauses, looking over the drenched scholar. "...Go on."

Quirrel sighs with relief. He shakes the moisture from his hands and unfolds the cloth, silently praying that the rain hadn't gotten to it. Luckily, it remains untouched. He places it against the counter. "I need you to look over this and tell me what it says."

The relic seeker looks at the collection of doodles. He glances up at Quirrel with an expression one would give when someone is messing with them. "...Is this a joke?" he asks quietly.

"No, i-it's not. My friend made this, and I'm a bit worried about them. I was hoping you could--"

Lemm turns his back on Quirrel, seemingly having lost interest. Quirrel sighs sadly. Just when he was about to turn away, however, Lemm faces him again, holding a small magnifying glass. "Let's see here…" he mumbles.

"Oh, thank you," Quirrel says. "I haven't had much luck with figuring out what it all means." He pauses. "You wouldn't mind if I left for a bit to check on my-"

"Sit down!"

Quirrel immediately sat on a stool in front of the counter.

"...I take it that you're friends with a child," Lemm guesses.

"I'm not too sure how old they are," Quirrel admits. "They are rather skilled with the nail, I must say."

"Really..? Well, I can already say that I know who your friend is."

"You do?"

"Aye. They've supplied me with most of the relics you see before you."

Quirrel glances around the room at all the relics sitting out. "Impressive," he says.

"Indeed it is," Lemm nods.

Quirrel sits in silence for a few moments longer, before Lemm finally places down his magnifying glass. "Oh, have you finished?"

"Yes. It wasn't too hard."

"I beg to differ…" Quirrel mumbles.

"It is by my understanding that your friend wishes to enlighten the citizens of Hallownest," says Lemm. "That includes sparing all but a few enemies...hm...my guess as to why is that they expect to gain something from these certain foes."

"Huh. They don't seem to be the selfish type," Quirrel responds quietly.

"There is one thing, however," Lemm continues. "I cannot for the life of me make any sense of what this means." He points at the winged sun seemingly being engulfed by darkness. "Pah, it's probably nothing..."

Quirrel believes he knows what the image of the sun is supposed to represent, thanks to The Collector. He ponders the information Lemm had given him. "...Other than that last part, all of this translates to my friend simply wishing to please everyone?"

"Yes."

"Oh…" He glances down at the little images left on the periwinkle fabric, still feeling a bit puzzled.

"What?" Lemm asks curtly.

"I worry about my friend," Quirrel says a second time. "I'm afraid that I might be causing them stress."

"Why's that?"

"I…" Quirrel holds his tongue. "It's nothing…"

Lemm grunts, before turning away to tend to an unpolished idol.

Quirrel ponders what to say next. "I had recently attempted something that scared them, something I regret. They already have so much on their hands, and the last thing I want is to trouble them with...what I almost did."

Lemm turns his head upon hearing this. What was it that he had said? He 'attempted' something? "...You said that you regret this?"

"Yes," Quirrel nods.

Lemm seems to hold an expression of concern for a second or two. Then he shrugs. "Eh, help them, talk to them, I don't care. You seem like the kind of bug who can figure it out. I, however, prefer to keep to myself, especially in these trying times."

"...I suppose that wouldn't be a bad idea," Quirrel decides. Then he stands up. "Well, thank you for helping me. I really appreciate it." He folds up the cloth. "I'll be sure to come across a relic or two before returning."

"Yes, that will do nicely. Good day."

"Good day to you too," Quirrel replies, before exiting.

~~~

"Oh, you're back!" Elderbug says upon spotting Quirrel.

Quirrel smiles with a nod.

"The little ones have been waiting for you."

"Good thing I don't plan on descending again without them," Quirrel responds.

"Good, good…"

Quirrel cannot help but to glance at the white flower that Elderbug wears. "I must say, I admire your flower there. It suits you well."

"Why, thank you," the elder smiles. "One of your little friends had given it to me."

"Oh, how generous," says Quirrel. "Perhaps they can take me to where they had found it. I imagine that must be a sight to behold."

Elderbug nods in agreement. "Say hello to them for me."

"I will," Quirrel says with a wave. Then he enters the house where he had left his friends.

The first thing Quirrel sees is Angel standing in the middle of the room.

"Friend stay?" they ask.

"Yes," he replies. Quirrel glances around the room. "Where's your sibling?"

Angel does not respond. They continue to stare in his direction.

"...Angel?"

Angel points directly at him. Quirrel is confused for a second, before turning around. The knight is standing in the doorway.

"Oh, there you are," says Quirrel. "Elderbug wanted me to pass his greeting to you, but it seems like you hadn't left."

The knight stares at the pill bug.

"...Were you wondering where I had gone?"

Ghost slowly approaches Quirrel, its focus held upon his hand.

"O-oh, right, I um…" Quirrel returns the cloth to the knight.

Ghost takes the cloth, looks at it, and then back at Quirrel.

"I'm sorry, I...I suppose I couldn't help myself…" Quirrel glances away. "I should've asked you first, I know…"

Ghost does not respond.

"...Little knight, I hope you have been doing well lately."

To Quirrel's surprise, Ghost's eyes fill with tears.

"Oh, hey, what's the matter?" Quirrel kneels down, allowing the knight to hug him. "I was only gone for maybe an hour..."

"Sibling upset," Angel says.

"That I left, or that I took their drawings without asking?"

Angel blinks, leaving their answer unsaid.

"Um...little knight, I believe I understand what your drawings mean."

The knight leaps back, as though horrified.

"What? You simply wish to make everyone happy, and to save the kingdom. What is there to be worked up over?"

Ghost points near the drawing of the sun. Quirrel hadn't noticed it until now, but below said drawing appears to be the broken shell of the knight.

"I...I don't understand."

Ghost looks down at the ground and doesn't explain further.

"...What if I told you that I wanted to help you with these tasks?"

Ghost looks up at its friend once again.

"Angel and I have already been working on something similar to what you have in mind," says Quirrel.

"Save friend," Angel adds.

Ghost glances at Angel, then back at Quirrel. It hugs him once again.

Quirrel smiles, patting its shell. "Don't worry, I'm not leaving again," he promises.

The little knight continues to cling to Quirrel, void tears flowing. Quirrel is left with no choice but to comfort his friend.

"Friend no go," Angel tells Ghost.

Ghost glances at its sibling.

"No cry."

The knight finally releases Quirrel, wiping away its tears.

"Sibling better?"

Ghost nods.

Quirrel smiles. "Angel, I can no longer go without saying this, but you are very sweet and kind."

Despite the child's apparent incapability of expressing happiness, Quirrel can tell that his compliment has made them glad.

Ghost stares at its friend with hidden uncertainty. Quirrel does know that it plans to sacrifice itself to stop the Radiance, doesn't he? He was the one who told it about the dream nail after their fight against Uumuu… Yes, Ghost knew about the nail's existence prior, but had neglected obtaining it on purpose. It wanted to give its friend more time with his teacher before taking her away from him. Ghost is on the verge of tears just thinking about it… The last thing it wants is to put Quirrel through even more pain by eventually forcing him to say goodbye to it. For all it knows, however, it doesn't have a choice...

…unless there is another way to destroy the infection that the knight does not know about. Could such a solution exist? Is the queen the one other person who currently knows how to stop the Radiance? Does Hornet know?

Hornet...now that it thinks about it, when was the last time it ever saw its half sibling?

That's right, at the entrance to the Abyss, after it had acquired the shade cloak...it was then that she had told the knight that the void gives her hope, despite not having been born in the Abyss. Maybe she is hopeful for Ghost instead? What was the last thing she had said to it?

'A difficult journey you would face,' Ghost recalls, 'but a choice it can create. Prolong our world's stasis or face the heart of its infection.'

She does know.

Quirrel looks at his silent friend. It has been staring off in the distance for quite some time now. "Is everything alright, my friend?"

The little knight glances at him, then at the cloth still in its hands. It shows the fabric to him again.

"What is it?" Quirrel asks.

The knight points at a sketch of a vaguely familiar face.

"Now, where have I seen them before..?" he wonders aloud. Quirrel places a hand upon his chin thoughtfully. "Hm…"

Ghost is unable to frown. Surely he would recognize the face of the princess? Yes, Quirrel had lost his memories prior to returning to Hallownest, but not his knowledge. Has the King's bargain with the queen of Deepnest not been common knowledge?

"...Ah, now I remember!" Quirrel declares. "I met her in the cliffs upon my return to this land."

Ghost is surprised to hear this. It jumps up and down, eager to hear more.

"But...I'm afraid I hadn't seen her since."

Ghost ceases its bouncing, looking at the ground with disappointment.

"Hm…" Quirrel turns to face his vessel companion. "Angel, do you think you can detect her whereabouts?"

Ghost tilts its head. How are they going to find Hornet?

Angel places a hand upon the side of their head and looks away, concentrating. After half a minute, they look up at Quirrel again, shaking their head.

"Oh. That's unusual…"

How is that unusual? The knight is left feeling bewildered.

"Perhaps we'll cross paths along our quest," Quirrel decides. "Right now, though, I'd like to rest myself before we head down again. Will that be alright with the two of you?"

As Angel nods, Ghost looks at the ground in thought. When it seemingly hatches an idea, it takes Quirrel's hand and brings him to the pile of pillows lying in the corner of the tiny house. Quirrel chuckles as he is seated down comfortably against the cushions. The knight rushes across the room to grab a blanket.

"Oh, you don't have to do that," Quirrel smiles.

But the little knight insists. It wraps the blanket around its friend before standing back to admire its work.

Quirrel laughs again. "Thank you, little one."

Ghost is unable to keep itself from curling up next to Quirrel. Fortunately, the pill bug doesn't mind this. The knight is happy that it gets to spend some time with its best friend. Before long, the two of them are fast asleep.

Angel quietly walks towards Ghost's plans that it had left on the table while fixing up the makeshift bed. They study the image of the Radiance with a blank expression.

"Light bad," they whisper. "No fall…"

Angel stops next to Quirrel and sits down. They are barely capable of keeping their eyes open. "Friend…" they mumble, before nodding off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had this chapter finished for months and have had it sitting in google docs until I found a suitable idea for the chapter that will follow this one.
> 
> In case you didn't catch it, there was a reference to that Pepe Sylvia scene in It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia in this chapter.


End file.
